Kayode Fayemi Biography: Early Life, Career, Wife, Children & Net Worth
Kayode Fayemi CON (born February 9, 1965) is a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Ekiti State from 2018 to 2022. He previously held office from 2010 to 2014 until losing re-election to Ayodele Fayose.
He also served as Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet from November 11, 2015, to May 30, 2018, when he resigned to run for a second term as Governor of Ekiti State. Since September 9, 2022, he has served as the founding president of the Forum of African Regions (FORAF).
Kayode Fayemi Biography
John Olukayode Fayemi was born on February 9, 1965, in Ibadan, Western Region (now Oyo State), Nigeria. His parents’ identities and names remain hidden, but it is known that his father worked as a government official and his mother was a trader. While it is conceivable he had siblings, details regarding them are not publicly known.
Kayode Fayemi Education
Kayode received his elementary education at ICC Elementary School, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, from 1970 to 1975, and at Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti, from 1975 to 1980.
He later received degrees in history, politics, and international relations from the University of Lagos and the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). From 1989 to 1992, he received a doctorate in conflict studies from King’s College London, focusing on civil-military relations.
Career
Following his first degree in 1984, he completed the mandated one-year National Youth Service Corps from 1985 to 1986, during which he worked as a lecturer at the Nigeria-Police Training College in Sokoto.
After his service year, he worked as a research officer with Development & Management Consultants in Ikeja from 1987 to 1989. From 1991 to 1993, he worked as a research officer at the African Research and Information Bureau in London while pursuing his doctoral studies in the United Kingdom.
During his doctoral studies at King’s College in London in 1992, he served as a tutorial fellow in the War Studies Department.
Later, he worked as the Strategy Development Adviser for Deptford City Challenge in London from 1993 to 1995, and then as the Secretary General of the Media Empowerment for Africa (The Radio Foundation) in London from 1995 to 1997.
He has worked as a journalist for The Guardian and City Tempo, as well as editor of Nigeria-Now, a defunct political monthly magazine. In 1997, Fayemi returned to Nigeria, where he established the Centre for Democracy and Development, a research and training institution dedicated to the study and promotion of democratic development, peace-building, and human security in Africa, where he served as Director from 1997 to 2006.
On 9 September 2022, Fayemi emerged as the first elected president of the Forum of Regions of Africa (FORAF), a forum which is organised by United Cities and Local Governments of Africa, UCLG Africa in collaboration with the Association of Moroccan Regions (ARM), the Council of the Oriental Region (CRO) and the Directorate General of Territorial Collectivities (DGCT) of the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco.
In April 2014, Fayemi was endorsed as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state’s gubernatorial elections slated for 21 June 2014.
The emergence of Fayemi was preceded by a congress held before the governor who had no contestant was endorsed as the flag bearer of their state in the governorship elections. Ayodele Fayose defeated Kayode Fayemi at the polls on June 21, 2014.
Following his resignation as Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Fayemi ran for a second term as Ekiti state governor on the All Progressives Congress platform in the governorship election on July 14, 2018. The Independent National Electoral Commission officially proclaimed him the winner of the 2018 Ekiti State gubernatorial election on July 15, 2018.
He won by 19,345 votes over the Peoples Democratic Party’s Kolapo Olusola Eleka, who finished second. In October 2018, Fayemi was sworn in as governor of Ekiti State for the second time. Fayemi was elected as head of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Abdulaziz Yari, the immediate past chairman, announced on Wednesday evening. He stated that Fayemi was unanimously elected by the governors to lead the forum until 2021.
Awards and Nominations
Kayode Fayemi’s awards and nominations include:
- 2012: Leadership Newspaper’s Governor of the Year.
- 2013: Champions Newspaper’s Governor of the Year.
- 2022: Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON)
Kayode Fayemi Wife
Kayode Fayemi is married to Olabisi (Bisi) Fayemi, a famous gender and development expert, social entrepreneur, policy champion, author, and businesswoman. The couple married in 1989 and had a son named Folajimi. They initially met while pursuing their master’s degrees at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife.
Kayode Fayemi Net Worth
John Olukayode Fayemi, a significant political figure and businessman, is reported to be worth $300 million, making him one of Ekiti State’s wealthiest men. Fayemi was the Governor of Ekiti State from 2010 until 2014, and again from March 16, 2018.
Social Media
X: @kfayemi
